Panel chamfering machine



Feb. 18, 1936. T. A. PE TERMAN ET AL 2,031,385

PANEL CHAMFERING MACHINE JQ L t -E gi i eet l 713- 7Z4 45 meoo ore 17. Pe/er-man Feb. 18, 1936. -11 PETERMAN ET AL 2,031,385

PANEL CHAMFERING MACHINE Filed May 31, 1933v 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 lg 5 J8,

Theodore fifsrmarr Feb. 18, 1936. T. A. PETERMAN ET AL 2,031,385

PANEL CHAMFERING MACHINE Filed May 31, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet 5 6 K amnion v 777Oa o/'= H Pe/erman Patented Feb. 18, 1936 UNITED STATES PANEL CHAMFERING MACHINE Theodore A. Peterman and Frederick Nicholson, Tacoma, Wash. said Nicholson assignor to said Peterman Application May 31, 1933, Serial No. 673,766

4 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for use in door and similar factories, and has for its ob:- jects to chamfer all four edges of a. panel which is to be placed within the grooves of the stiles 5 and rails of a door in order to facilitate the insertion of the panel therein when the door is being assembled.

The. objects of the invention are, to chamfer all the edges of a panel automatically; to provide means whereby a. large range of ratios between the long and short sides of the panel may vary without requiring any adjustment of the relative feeds between the several parts of the machine; to provide positive means whereby the panels are fed from the hopper even if they are slightly warped; to provide means for positively alining each panel centrally relative to the cutting heads; to provide means for controlling the panel while being transferred from one part of the machine to another; and to provide a machine which will be simple to adjust, to operate and to maintain, which will reduce. the labor costs per panel and which will effectively and evenly chamfer all four edges of a panel.

We attain these and other objects by the device-s, mechanisms and arrangements illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 isa general plan of the machine; Fig. 2 is a plan, largely diagrammatic, showing the driving means for the second half of the machine; Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the machine taken from the panel delivery end thereof; Fig. 5 is a section of a portion of the first half of the machine, and showing the feed dog about to take a panel from the hopper, and Fig. 6 is a detail of a portion thereof, parts being in section to reveal the construction and showing a panel being fed past the cutter head.

Similar numerals of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Our improved chamfering machine consists of a unitary machine divided into two parts, cooperating with each other and together chamfering all four edges of a panel. The first part takes the panels from the hopper by means of a positive feed, and passes them past two cutter heads, which chamfer the first two opposite edges of the panel. This portion of the machine then delivers the panel to the second part, which feeds the panel in a direction at right angles to that in the first part, past a similar number of opposite cutter heads, which c-ha-mfer the remaining two opposite edges of the panel. This second portion of the machine feeds by means of friction, and is run at substantially twice the speed as the first part. The feed for both parts is driven from asingle motor. The second portion of the machine is located at a lower level than the first portion, and the panels, as they are delivered to the second portion by the first portion, are prevented from vibration and crowded over against a guide and fed therealong to the cutter heads.

The panels used in doors are of a great variety of dimensions, and therefore it is impossible to construct andefficiently operate a machine which has a positive feed in the second section, because a feed which would be suitable for a panel having a certain proportion between one pair of edges and the other pair of edges will require an entirely different rate of feed in the second section than would a panel having a different ratio between the two pairs of edges.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the panels are piled in a hopper and are fed therefrom by a positive feed chain, having special dogs thereon. As a panel is fed forward, it is raised slightly to bring it into positive alinement with the center-of the cutter heads, and is held down by pressure rollers. The panel is then slid down guides to a lower level and in so falling, its front edge strikes an inclined plate which forces it down and guides it to the gage bar. Also when it fails it lands on rapidly rotating feed rollers which are mounted with their axes at a slight angle to the direction of feed in the first part of the machine, thereby further insuring that the advance edge of the panel is crowded against the gage bar. The forward motion of the panel as it arrives on the rollers of the second part is stopped by the gage bar and, as soon as vibration has stopped, the friction between the stationary panel and the feed rollers drive it along the gage bar and at right angles to its former motion. If it has not entirely lost its vibration, it cannot pass under a cross plate which guards the second pair of cutter heads. As it passes under the guard plate it is driven forward by the rollers and is held down on them by a set of pressure rollers. It is then passed between upper and lower driven feed rollers to the second cutter heads and is held by pressure heads while passing the cutter heads, and is then seized and delivered by a second pair of upper and lower driven feed rollers.

It is, of course, to be understood that in the first and second parts of the machine, the adjacent cutter heads, and all parts pertaining thereto, are fixed in position while the opposite cutter heads, and. all parts pertaining thereto, are each separately adjustable in distance from the fixed cutter heads, thereby permitting the machine to operate on panels of any dimensions within the capacity of the machine.

The foundation of the machine, as illustrated, comprises a series of I-beams, but may be of any desired construction. The first part of the machine is provided with a fixed cutter head assembly I. A pair of parallel guide tracks 2 and 3 extend across the machine, one from each side of the cutter head I, on which the adjustable cutter head assembly 4 is mounted. This cutter head assembly 4 is adjusted in relation to the fixed assembly I by means of a suitably mounted screwthreaded shaft 5 which is operated by a hand wheel 6, in the usual way. Each assembly I and 4 comprises a suitable framing I, mounted on the guide rails 2 and 3 and supporting the electric motor 8, having its shaft vertical, and said motor being direct connected to the cutter head 9, having the usual pairs of cutter knives III. The assembly also includes a hopper comprising a vertical angle-iron I I adapted to receive the advance corners of a pile of panels to be chamfered. These angle-irons I I are suitably supported above the guide track, hereinafter described, and are each provided with a spring-resisted gate I2 (Fig. 6) engaging the advance edge of the panel above the lowest panel in the hopper. This hopper then alines the panels in relation to their feed in the machine. The assembly also includes a panel feed apparatus which comprises a channel I3 extending horizontally across the front of the cutter head assembly from the feed drive shaft I4, on which the sprocket wheel I5 is mounted, outward to a point sufficiently beyond the hopper to permit the receipt of the largest panels to be operated on. This channel has two separated flanges I6. These flanges are of sufficient height to extend slightly above the feed chain lying in the channel, from the outer end to a point between the hopper II and the cutter head 9, but the depth of said flanges increases slightly between said parts, as shown at IT (Fig. 6) and continues at that height to the inner end. The feed chain 58 lies on the channel I3 between the flanges I6 and passes over the driven sprocket wheel I5 and the idler sprocket wheel I9, at the outer end. This chain I8 carries a number of feed dogs 20 incorporated therein. These dogs 20 are formed as shown in Fig. 6, having downward flanges 2I taking the place of one link of the chain, a forward extension 22 lying above the pivot of the next link ahead, a rearward extension 23 lying above the pivot of the next link to the rear, an inclined surface 24 extending from the front, which lies below the level of the flanges I6 at the outer end of the channel, to the rear, which lies at a level of the said flanges I6 at the outer end of the channel; and an undercut lug 25 at the rear of said dog, said lug being adapted to engage one panel only.

The result of this arrangement is that, as the panels rest in the hopper, they are supported by the lower flanges I6 with the chain passing freely under them then, as the dog approaches, the inclined surface 24 enters under the rear edge of the panel and raises it, and all the panels above it, slightly, and then the lug 25 engages the rear edge of the lower panel and forces it from under the pile in the hopper. As this raised dog thus passes under the pile, all panels are raised and then dropped, thus constantly agitating the pile and removing any possibility of their becoming wedged and jammed therein. Also, if the lowest panel should happen to be slightly warped upward at its rear edge, the fact that the lug 25 is raised well above the level of the supporting flange I6 insures that the rear edge will be engaged thereby. The forward extension 22 to the dog 29 prevents the weight of the panels in the hopper from tipping up the rear end of the dog sufliciently to permit the lug 25 to engage two panels; and the rearward extension 23, resting on the chain link to the rear, prevents the possibility of the resistance of the lowest panel to move from the hopper, (it might have glue splashed thereon which would cause it to stick to the panel above it) from forcing the link 2l from tipping down in rear and up in front, thereby allowing the lug 25 to slip under the panel. In the case of a stuck panel, the spring gate I2 prevents damage to the machine and simply spoils one panel as it passes between the cutter heads. The assembly also includes the spring actuated bar of pressure rollers 26 which hold the panel down on the supporting flange I! as it passes the cutter head.

This first part of the machine is fed by the above described chains I8 which are driven from the main electric motor 21, through the belt-connected pulleys 28 and 29, the bevel gears 39 and 3 I, the sprocket chain 32 and sprocket wheels 33 and 34, which drive the shaft I4. The sprocket wheel I5 on the adjustable cutter head assembly 4 is slidable on the shaft I4, with the adjustment of the said cutter head assembly. Each assembly is also provided with a chute bar 35 leading from the supporting flange I7 and bending down over the shaft I4 to a point adjacent to the driven feed rollers of the second half of the machine.

The second half of the machine is also provided with suitable supporting and guiding tracks 36 and 31 similar to the tracks 2 and 3 and which lie on each side of the fixed cutter head assembly 38 and the adjustable cutter head assembly 39 and extend at right angles to the first tracks 2 and 3. The cutter head assembly 39 is adjusted in distance from the cutter head assembly 38 by means of a suitable screw-threaded shaft 40 which is operated by means of a hand wheel M. A second screw-threaded shaft 42 is mounted at the other end of the machine, parallel with the shaft 40. The shafts 40 and 42 are operatively connected together by means of sprocket wheels 43 and chain 44. The shaft 42 moves the outer end of the gage bar 45.

The fixed and adjustable cutter head assemblies 38 and 39 each comprise suitable framing 46 mounted on the guide rails 36 and 31, and supporting the electric motor and its cutter head which are similar to those in the assemblies I and 4. The assembly includes a panel feed mechanism which comprises two pairs of upper and lower driven feed rollers 41, the first pair of which grip the panel between them as it is fed thereto by the live rollers, and forces the panel past the cutter heads, and the second pair of which receive the panel between them as it leaves the cutter head and delivers the panel on to a suitable receiving table. The first pair of driven feed rollers are driven from the lower driven shaft 48, which is driven from the motor 21 through the belt-connected pulleys 49 and 50, the counter shaft BI and the chain-connected sprocket wheels 52 and 53. This shaft 43 has the lower driven feed rollers 41 of the fixed and adjustable assemblies 38 and 39 mounted thereon, the latter being, of course, slidably secured thereto. The upper roller 41 of this first pair is driven from the shaft 48 through a series of gears 54, whereby the upper said driven feed roller is vertically movable to automatically accommodate slight differences in thickness of the panels without relaxing on the gripping action thereon. The: second pair of driven feed rollers are driven from the lower driven shaft 55 parallel with the shaft 48. This shaft 55 is driven, at the fixed end, by a sprocket chain 56 from the end of the said shaft 48 and also, at the adjustable assembly 39, by a similar sprocket chain which connects it to the upper gear of the chain of gears 54. The upper driven feed rollers 4'! of this second pair are driven exactly similar as are the upper feed rollers of the first pair.

The panels are fed to these cutter head assemblies by a series of live rollers 58. These rollers 58 are driven by means of a sprocket chain 59 engaging the upper teeth of the sprocket wheels 65 on the end of each live roller shaft, and this chain is driven from the counter shaft 5| (Fig. 3)

The live rollers 58 are each provided with an enlarged portion 5! on the receiving end, said portion tending to force the panel over against the gage bar 45. Also, all the said live rollers 58, except the few immediately before the abovedescribed driven feed rollers 41, are mounted with their axes at a slight rearward angle so as to roll the panels against the said gage bar 45.

The gage bar 45 is mounted immediately above the live rolls 58 and is adapted to receive the advance edge of the panel being delivered from the first part of the machine, and to guide it as it changes its motion to pass, at right angles to its former motion, past the cutter head assemblies 38 and 39. It follows, therefore, that this gage bar 45 must be moved exactly in accordance with the movement of the adjustable assembly 39. This is accomplished by mounting one end of the bar 45 on the said assembly and by mounting the other end thereof on the parallel screw shaft 42, above described.

The bar 45 has a receiving plate 52 attached to it, said plate being bent forward therefrom towards the delivery end of the first half of the machine. This plate 62 is adapted to receive the advance edge of the panel, as it is projected by the first feed chain l8, and to guide .it down to the bar 45 with cooperation of chute bars 35 and the top of the rolls 58, Fig. 5.

A fixed guard plate 63 is mounted across the second part of the machine at a point in spaced relation to the first pair of driven feed rollers 41. The lower edge of this guard plate 63 is slightly elevated above the live rolls 58 so as to permit but a single panel to pass therebeneath. This guard plate, therefore, does not permit any panel to pass to the cutter head assemblies 38 and 39 until such panel has substantially ceased vibration from its fall from the first part of the machine. Obviously, if any panel fails to pass beneath said guard plate, for example by reason of its being warped, there may be temporarily one or more panels collected behind said guard plate before the attendant has opportunity to release the warped panel by press ing down upon the top of the accumulated panels. This release may be accomplished during the interval previous to the receipt of the succeeding panel from the first part of the machine. Such guard plate thus insures against two thicknesses of panels being passed to the feed rollers 41.

Suitable spring actuated pressure rollers (not shown), similar to the rollers 26, are mounted between the guard plate 62 and the driven rollers 41 and hold the panel down on the last live rolls 58 before it is gripped by the pair of rollers 41. 7 Also a suitable pressure plate (not shown) is mounted opposite to the cutter head in each assembly to hold the panel in proper position relatively to the knives of the cutter head.

Thus it will be seen that our improved chamfering machine takes the panels from the hopper and chamfers all four edges without having to be handled by the operator .and delivers them ready for insertion in the grooves of the stiles and rails of a door; that this is done in such manner that the top and bottom edges are equally chamfered on all four edges; and that slightly warped panels pass through the machine just as readily as perfectly fiat panels.

It is evident that many mechanical variations may be made in the details of the machine without departing from the spirit of our invention as outlined in the appended claims.

Having described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:-

1. An automatic chamfering machine embodying a first pair of chamfering means adapted to chamfer two opposite edges of a panel being fed therethrough; a driven feed means adapted to engage and feed panels through said chamfering means at a predetermined rate; a gauge bar operatively positioned to engage panels delivered from said first pair of chamfering means; a series of power driven rollers forming a non-positive feed means adapted to receive thereon the panel from said first chamfering means, said rollers being shaped and positioned to align said panel squarely against said gauge bar and to frictionally engage said panel in accordance with the weight of the panel, so as to move it at right angles to its former direction and said rollers being driven at a speed greater than that at which the said driven feed means passes the panels through said first chamfering means; a second pair of chamfering means positioned substantially at right angles to the first pair of chamfering means and adapted to chamfer the remaining two edges of panels; and pressure rollers adapted to grip said panel as it leaves said power driven rollers and feed it through said second pair of chamfering means.

2. An automatic chamfering machine embodying the combination of a first pair of chamfering means adapted to chamfer two opposite edges of a panel; a panel hopper in which the panels are positioned one upon the other; a positive feed means having spaced panel engaging dogs adapted to positively withdraw the lowermost board from said hopper and move said panel at a definite rate of speed through said chamfering means; a gauge bar oper-atively positioned to engage panels delivered from said first pair of chamfering means; a series of power driven rollers forming a non-positive feed means adapted to receive thereon the panel from said first chamfering means, said rollers being shaped and positioned to align said panel squarely against said gauge bar and to frictionally engage said panel in accordance with the weight of the panel, so as to move it at right angles to its former direction and said rollers being driven at a speed greater than that at which the said driven feed means passes the panels through said first chamfering means; a. second pair of chamfering means positioned substantially at right angles to the first pair of chamfering means and adapted to chamfer the remaining two edges of panels; and pressure rollers adapted to grip said panel as it leaves said power driven rollers and feed it through "win - said second pair of chamfering means, whereby is provided a machine wherein panels having pairs of oppositely disposed edges of a greater length than the length of other oppositely disposed edges may be automatically fed and the chamfering operations timed and synchronized to make allowance for chamfering the edges having the greater lengths.

3. An automatic chamfering machine embodying the combination of a first pair of chamfering means adapted to chamfer two opposite edges of a panel; a panel hopper in which the panels are positioned one upon the other; a positive feed means having spaced panel engaging dogs adapted to positively withdraw the lowermost board from said hopper and move said panel at a definite rate of speed through said chamfering means; a gauge bar operatively positioned to engage panels delivered from said first pair of chamfering means; a series of power driven rollers forming a non-positive feed means adapted to receive thereon the panel from said first chamfering means, said rollers being shaped and positioned to align said panel squarelyagainst said gauge bar and to frictionally engage said panel in accordance with the weight of the panel, so as to move it at right angles to its former direction and said rollers being driven at a speed greater than that at which the said driven feed means passes the panels through said first chamfering means; a second pair of chamfering means positioned substantially at right angles to the first pair of chamIering means and adapted to chamfer the remaining two edges of panels; a fixed guard plate mounted in front of the second pair of chamfering means at right angles to said gauge bar, and in such spaced relation to the power driven rollers as to only permit panels to pass singly therebeneath; and pressure rollers adapted to grip said panel as it leaves said power driven rollers and feed it through said second pair of chamfering means, whereby is provided a machine wherein panels having pairs of oppositely disposed edges of a greater length than the length of other oppositely disposed edges may be automatically fed and the chamfering operations timed and synchronized to make allowance for chamfering the edges having the greater lengths.

4. An automatic chamfering machine embodying the combination of a first pair of chamfering means adapted to chamfer two opposite edges of a panel, one of said means being adjustable with respect to the other of said means to correspond to the length of panel being operated upon; a panel hopper in which the panels are positioned one upon the other; a positive feed means having spaced panel engaging dogs adapted to positively withdraw the lowermost board from said hopper and move said panel at a definite rate of speed through said chamfering means, said means having a part adjustably mounted to register with the position of said adjustable chamfering means to accommodate panels of the length being operated upon; a gauge bar operatively positioned to engage panels delivered from said first pair of chamfering means, said means being adjustably mounted to receive panels of varying width; a series of power driven rollers forming a nonpositive feed means adapted to receive thereon the panel from said first chamfering means, said rollers being shaped and positioned to align said panel squarely against said gauge bar and to frictionally engage said panel in accordance with the weight of the panel, so as to move it at right angles to its former direction and said rollers being driven at a speed greater than that at which the said driven feed means passes the panels through said first chamfering means; a second pair of chamfering means positioned substantially at right angles to the first pair of chamfering means and adapted to chamfer the remaining two edges of panels, one of said means being adjustable with respect to the other of said means to correspond to the width of panel being operated upon; and pressure rollers adapted to grip said panel as it leaves said power driven rollers and feed it through said second pair of chamfering means, whereby is provided a machine wherein panels having pairs of oppositely disposed edges of a greater length than the length of other oppositely disposed edges may be automatically fed and the chamfering operations timed and synchronized to make allowance for chamfering the edges having the greater lengths.

THEODORE A. PETERMAN. FREDERICK NICHOLSON. 

